Capt promises to move waste dump out of holy city

Amritsar: Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee president Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced that once the Congress formeds government in the state, the solid waste dump at Bhagtanwala, which was in close vicinity of Golden Temple, would be shifted out. “Instead of beautifying the holy city, the Akalis have decided to set up the garbage dump in the heart of it,” he regretted.

In a statement issued here, Capt, who represents Amritsar in the Parliament, said it was shocking that the ruling Akali Dal had shown no reverence towards the holy city by insisting on setting up the dump in the close vicinity of the Golden Temple. He said that the aerial distance of the dump might be just around 1 km from the Golden Temple, but that makes it easy for the flies and insects to fly around, besides the foul smell that would emanate from it.

The Amritsar MP expressed surprise that while the Akalis were planning to move the garbage dump in Bathinda out of the city, just because arsimrat Kaur Badal wanted it, they had shown no such respect and regard for the holy city. “Family concerns assume precedence and priority over the public concerns for the Badals,” he observed.

The former Chief Minister said he had already asked Amritsar leaders to identify an alternate space for the garbage dump outside the holy city.